The latest news is that Fab Europe appears to be winding down to the bare minimum, rather suddenly announcing that it will henceforth focus exclusively on selling its custom-made furniture (see screenshot below).

Goodbye flash sales model, but also goodbye to being able to buy any design item other than Fab-made furniture in any European market.

In a FAQ, Fab explains its decision to significantly narrow its scope thusly:

We’re transitioning our business in the EU to focus solely on growing our popular custom-designed furniture line. This means that our customers in the EU will have access to affordable, high-quality, made-to-measure furniture at their fingertips.”

That’s one hell of a transition to make, but later in the FAQ the company says it’s just “taking a break”:

While we focus on bringing custom-made, high-quality furniture to customers in the EU, we’re taking a break from selling products made by others in the EU region at this time. We are still working with designers to develop products that you may eventually see on Fab.

Despite what this implies, it’s unlikely Fab Europe will return to its former ‘buy everything design’ marketplace in these parts.

Fab says it “hopes to” offer shipping to countries other than the US, Canada and Australia “in the future” for people who want to continue their shopping on Fab’s US store.

The news of Fab Europe’s winding down comes about 6 months after Fab’s ‘Chief European Officer’, Maria Molland, decided to quit the company to return to San Francisco and start her own business.

Gutted. Fab was as much a source of inspiration than anything else. A gift shop, a place I would often impulse buy something smaller for the house. I won’t ever be back now…I wouldn’t design something online that is going to cost me thousands. Can they even make furniture? They have alienated a huge market, misunderstanding the value of a wider product offering. The fashion can stay gone though!

Sharon Mc

Affordable made to measure furniture!??! Hardly… Bad move Fab. Was sorely disappointed in this transition from bespoke gifts to just (ridiculously expensive) furniture.